SFCFIL creates a new GEMPAK surface file. INPUT PARAMETERS SFOUTF *Output surface file SFPRMF *Surface parameter packing file STNFIL *Station information file SHIPFL *Ship data file flag TIMSTN *Times/additional stations PROGRAM DESCRIPTION SFCFIL creates a GEMPAK surface file. The file may be a standard file or a ship format file. If SHIPFL is set to YES, a ship format file is created. In this case, both station location and time are stored with each data entry. This capability is useful when the station location varies in time, such as for moving ships, aircraft or free-floating buoys. If a standard file is to be created, the maximum number of times to be included in the file must be entered as the first value in TIMSTN. If a ship format file is being created, the maximum number of entries in the file is given by the first value in TIMSTN. If STNFIL is not blank, information about all the stations in STNFIL will be added to the data set. Space will be left in the file for the additional number of stations specified as the second parameter in TIMSTN. Note that an error will result if STNFIL is blank and TIMSTN does not request more stations. SFPRMF contains information about the parameters to be included in the file. SFPRMF may be either a list of parameters or the name of a packing file. If a list is entered, the parameters must be separated with semicolons; packing information may also be included after a slash with the minimum and maximum values and the resolution separated by dashes. For example, to include temperature and dewpoint in a file without packing, SFPRMF may be entered as : SFPRMF = TMPC;DWPC To pack the data, use: SFPRMF = TMPC/-127-63-.1;DWPC/-63-63-.1 SFPRMF may also contain the name of a packing file. A packing file for data which is not to be packed contains a list of parameters with one parameter per line. In a file for packed data, each line must include the parameter name, the minimum and maximum data values and the resolution, all separated with spaces. The default packing file for surface data is GEMTABL:SF51.TBL. EXAMPLES 1. Create a surface file called SURF.DAT with a maximum of 15 times using the default station and parameter files. Leave room in the file for 100 stations in addition to the stations in STNFIL. Use the GEMPAK standard packing file and table file. SFOUTF = surf.dat SFPRMF = gemtabl:sf51.tbl STNFIL = gemtabl:stations.tbl SHIPFL = no TIMSTN = 15/100 2. Create a ship format file which can contain a maximum of 1000 ship reports. Use a locally developed parameter file named SHIP.PRM for packing. SFOUTF = ship.dat SFPRMF = ship.prm STNFIL = SHIPFL = yes TIMSTN = 1000 ERROR MESSAGES [SFCFIL +2] WARNING! ADDSTN was negative -- set to 0. [SFCFIL +1] Cannot add stn to a ship file; STNFIL ignored. [SFCFIL -1] Fatal error initializing TAE. [SFCFIL -2] Fatal error reading TAE parameters. [SFCFIL -3] Error opening station file ... . [SFCFIL -4] File does not include room for any stations. [SFCFIL -5] File does not include room for any times. [SFCFIL -6] SFPRMF is incorrectly specified. [SFCFIL -7] The output file name is blank.